Flower Of The Court
by jt4702
Summary: Rachel Berry is intrigued by her the new French teacher and co-director of Glee.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: **I of course own nothing other than my dogs and my computer. I'm just borrowing for some fun.

**A/N: **I should be working on another in-progress story, but my muse wouldn't let this go. I won't be borrowing too much from the Harry Potter universe, other than Fleur and a few other characters, so it shouldn't be too spoilery when it comes to the book series. As for the Glee universe, this takes place after Sectionals, and of course, it's pretty AU for both universes. Please note that this will deal with a relationship between an adult and a minor.

**A/N 2:** all text in italics is meant to be French.

Chapter 1

Sometimes life has a funny way of working out. Sure, it takes a lot of detours and there are times when all a person wants to do is scream at the unfairness of it all, only to have things work out in the end. At this point in life, all Fleur Delacour wanted to do was scream at the universe for all the pain and horror she has endured in her short life. Her fiancée was murdered, and she had to fight along a seventeen year old Harry Potter to save the wizarding world and by default, the whole world from a crazy, power mad lunatic.

Once the dust settled, she did the only thing she could think of to save her sanity. Leave everything behind. Her family and friends pleaded with her to stay, but the memory of all the death and suffering she has seen just too much for her to deal.

"_Fleur, must you abandon your life and your roots?_" Apoline asks sadly.

"_Yes, mama. Don't look at it as me abandoning my life, but as a way for me to deal with everything. I don't think I can stay here and not go crazy._" Fleur replies softly, a tear running down her face.

"_But to go and live as a muggle girl in America? Isn't that extreme even for you?_" Gabrielle, her younger sister asks.

"_We have talked about this long enough, but no, to me it is not extreme. I just need a change, and what better change than to live in a totally different world?_" Fleur counters.

"_What do you know about muggles?_" Gabrielle fires back.

"_I know enough. Unlike a lot of witches and wizards, I have done extensive research in muggle life. I know better than to isolate myself from the rest of the world._" Fleur counters as she finishes packing her things.

"_What will you do? If you live among muggles you won't be able to use magic._" Alain Delacour says with worry.

"_Papa, I already told you. I have a job in a small town in America called Lima and I will be teaching French, and assisting a Mr. Schuester with his Glee Club._" Fleur explains for what feels like the thousandth time.

"_Promise you will be in touch._" Apoline says resigned.

"_Of course mama. Just make sure you all use non-wizarding ways to stay in touch. I do not look forward to explaining the owls and heads popping in and out of fireplaces._" Fleur says with a smile.

"_Yes, dear. Will you at least make sure you take your wand with you? You never know when you might need it._" Alain says with a sigh.

"_Yes, papa. I have it with me, but I won't use it unless it is an extreme emergency._" Fleur says.

"_Do you have to fly in those aeroplanes? Why don't you just apparate over? It would a lot faster._" Gabrielle says.

"_It will give me time to think. I also need to make sure the American government has a record of my arrival. I can't just show up to teach out of thin air._" Fleur explains yet again, a frustrated sigh escaping her flawless features.

"_Why can't you just use magic to fix that?_" Gabrielle asks.

"_Because it's abuse of power. I would hate to have someone mess with my memories, and it's too much work. I still need to have my paperwork in order, so it would be easier to just fly over and go through customs and do all that muggles do when they fly to a different country. It keeps things safe. Besides, it will be bad enough that I will have to lie to them about my past, and where I got my teaching degree._" Fleur says, frustrated.

"_All right, that is enough girls. Gabrielle, stop tormenting your sister. She knows what is best. Fleur, we trust you. Just be safe._" Apoline jumps in before the situation can escalate.

"_Honey, do you have everything you need?_" Alain asks his eldest child.

"_Yes, papa I do. I'm taking what I can with me, and the rest is being shipped to my new home as we speak._" Fleur says as she double checks that she has her passport, work permit and airline ticket. She also makes sure that she has keys to her new house, all her banking information, ATM and credit cards, and of course, enough U.S. dollars for the layover in New York City. She makes sure she has the paperwork for her rental car for when she finally lands in Toledo.

They all head over to the airport. Fleur checks in, and after getting everything sorted out, she hugs each member of her family. They say teary good byes, and promise to keep in touch. She then steps through the metal detectors and into her new life, mixture of fear, trepidation, and excitement warring inside of her.

The flight from Paris to NYC's JFK's International Airport is uneventful. She only has to deal with a couple of men staring at her, and trying to pick her up, something she is used to because of her Veela heritage. When they finally land, she goes through customs, and is surprised at how fast she goes through. She has heard horror stories about the delays, so she's quite grateful that they just checked to make sure her paperwork was ok. She grabs her suitcases, and catches a cab ride to La Guardia for her flight to Toledo.

Once again, everything happens without incident, and she's finally getting into her rental car that will do until she can get a more permanent form of transportation. The drive from Toledo to Lima goes on without major incident, just the usual rush hour traffic. She is glad she insisted in a car with a GPS system to help her navigate her way to her new home. She is exhausted by the time she pulls in the driveway of her new home, a small smile gracing her features.

"_Welcome to your new life, Fleur Isabelle Delacour._" She whispers as she crosses the threshold of her new home. She quickly grabs her suitcases and hauls them in, followed with her carry-on. She leaves the big suitcases behind, and grabs her carry-on and heads up the stairs to the master bedroom. At least she had enough presence of mind to make sure she bought a new bed when she was finalising everything for the start of her new life. She quickly grabs her cell phone and after a quick phone call for take out, she heads to the bathroom for a quick shower. The doorbell rings just as she's stepping out of the bathroom. "Perfect timing," she mumbles to herself. Fleur quickly grabs a robe to throw over her nightgown, and heads back down the stairs. She grabs some cash from her purse, and pays for her food. After a quick dinner, she cleans up, and efficiently goes through her nightly routine, all the while hoping that she'll be too tired for nightmares, for once she's quite happy for the jetlag she has. She finally heads to bed, silently praying for a quiet night. She falls asleep soon after her head hits the pillow, and thankfully, to a dreamless night.

TBC.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: **for disclaimer and warning, please refer back to chapter 1. My apologies for the delay in updating. Life has been hectic.

Chapter 2

Sunlight filters through the windows in the master bedroom, and dances across Fleur's pale features, rousing her from the first restful slumber she has had in what feels like forever. The part Veela slowly opens her eyes and runs a well manicured hand over them, yawning. She takes a look at her watch and realises that it is 6:30 am. She's quite surprised she managed to sleep for so long, a small smile creeps up her features and then full, onslaught panic. She completely forgot to call her parents to let them know she arrived without any problems.

"_Merde_." She exclaims as she rises to her feet, in search of her cell phone. She quickly hits speed dial for her family's phone, and waits patiently for someone to pick up.

"_Fleur, is that you? I thought you were going to let us know you had arrived all right last night_." Apoline asks worry clear in her voice when she answers the phone.

"_Yes mama, it is me. I'm sorry I didn't call last night when I got in. It was really late, and I was really tired._" Fleur says into the phone, shaking her head slightly. Who else would call them?

"_You know, this could have been prevented if you had just agreed to put your new house in the floo network._" Apoline chastises.

"_Mama, you could have just picked up the phone and called me instead. It would have been the same thing, and just as fast. Besides, I can't risk anyone just popping through the fireplace if I were to have people over._" Fleur counters, growing tired of having to explain things over again. She then smiles gratefully that the only fireplace in the house is nowhere near her bedroom, in case her parents try to sneak a connection through.

"_You know we don't really like to use muggle technology. It's not very reliable. And we would never just show up unannounced._" Apoline replies.

"_Yes, I know you don't. You have reminded me of that fact while I was in school, and when I was enjoying muggle technology back home. I just wanted to let you all know I arrived just fine. I need to go now. I have a full day ahead of me._" Fleur says quickly, not wanting to get into another argument over her choice.

"_Already? Don't you want to talk with your family?_" Apoline counters a bit hurt.

"_You know I do, mama. I just have a lot of things to take care of. I need to finish furnishing my new home, get myself a car, get some food, wait for the rest of my things to arrive, and finally, head over to the school to finalise my contract._" Fleur explains patiently. She knows it's a lost cause, but still tries to reason.

"_All right. Your father and I will speak to you later, when you have more time. I love you._" Apoline says defeated.

"_Thank you mama. I love you too. Please send my love to papa and Gabrielle._" Fleur says relieved. She quickly ends the call before her mother has a change of heart and starts with the questions again.

Fleur decides to take a walk to clear her head before she begins all that she has to do. She can't help but shake her head at her mother's attitude to all things non-magical. At least she was allowed to study and use muggle life without much interference (something she is quite grateful to her father). It had been such a wonderful surprise when she found out her future father in law shared her love for all things muggle; too bad things didn't work out better.

Fleur is so absorbed in her thoughts she doesn't notice the young brunette running her way. They collide quite painfully, the momentum sending the quarter Veela sprawling down the cement sidewalk.

"_Pardonnez-moi s'il vous plaît_."/"I'm so sorry. I wasn't watching where I was going."

They both say at the same time.

The brunette quickly pulls the earbuds out, pauses her iPod, and quickly offers a hand to assist the woman she just ploughed down. "I am so sorry. I was very distracted and normally there aren't many people out walking at this hour, I mean, that is no excuse, but still, you can't really blame me for an occurrence that is out of the ordinary…" The brunette stops her rant short once she glances down and notices the amused look on Fleur's face.

"It is all right Miss. I was not looking where I was going either." Fleur says, rubbing her left ankle slightly.

"Uh, it's Rachel. Rachel Berry. Are you ok?" Rachel says quickly, hand still extended.

Fleur quickly takes the hand in front of her, and with a little help is back on her feet again. "_Oui_, I am all right. I'm Fleur Delacour. Pleased to meet you Miss Berry." Fleur says as she now shakes the hand still in hers, and puts her left foot down. "_Merde!_" she exclaims as pain shoots up her leg once it makes contact.

"Oh shit, you're hurt. And it's Rachel. Let me help you. I'm not sure where you live, since I haven't seen you in the neighbourhood before, but my house is just two doors down. We will need to ice your ankle as soon as possible to keep the swelling down. You can lean on me. I'm sorry I'm a bit sweaty though." Rachel says quickly.

Fleur thinks about declining the help, but the brunette looks like she's about to have some sort of panic attack, so she gracefully accepts the help. "That is very sweet of you Miss Berry. Your assistance would be greatly appreciated." Fleur says softly, a mixture of curiosity and trepidation over the obvious muggle treatment she is about to receive.

"It's Rachel, and it's no problem at all." Rachel says quickly. "Here, lean on me a bit and it should take some of the pressure off your ankle." She says wrapping her arm on Fleur's waist and pulling the platinum blonde's arm over her shoulder with her other arm.

They quietly make their way to the Berry household, and once inside, Rachel guides Fleur to the couch where she quickly props the injured leg over the coffee table, on top of a cushion.

"I'll be right back. I'm just going to grab an ice pack for your ankle." Rachel says as she quickly runs into the kitchen.

"Normally, the house wouldn't be this quiet, but my roommate is away with her girlfriend on vacation, and my dads are at work." Rachel says as she sits on the floor and gently wraps an ice pack with a tea towel around Fleur's ankle. "I'm sorry, I know it hurts, and it's really cold, but it will ease up some. This will keep the swelling down, and in a bit, it should start to dull the pain some." Rachel says when she sees Fleur flinch at the contact.

"Thank you very much, Rachel." Fleur says sincerely. "How is it you know what to do?" Fleur asks, curious.

"My dad is an ER doctor and he made sure I know what to do in most situations because one never knows when it might come in handy. I also dance quite a bit, and sprained ankles come with the territory. Knowing how to treat minor sprains speeds up the recovery time, minimises down time, and the risk of permanent injury. Sorry, I have been told I talk too much." Rachel blushes a bit when she sees the same amused expression on Fleur's face.

"Please don't apologise. I find it fascinating. It's just you remind me of someone I know." Fleur says sincerely.

Rachel smiles brightly at that. "Oh. Err, I was wondering, what were you doing out this early? I mean, you weren't dressed for a run or anything like that." Rachel asks, curiosity getting the better of her.

"I was getting acquainted with the neighbourhood. I just moved in last night, and I am still getting used to the time change." Fleur says with a smile. It seems that since meeting this young lady, she has smiled more in the last hour or so than in the past five years.

"Oh, you're the new owner of the house down by the corner? Welcome to the neighbourhood." Rachel asks, realisation dawning on her.

"Yes, I am, and thank you." Fleur says.

"I'm going to grab the first aid kit, so, um, make yourself at home." Rachel says getting up, and heading up the stairs. She shows up a couple of minutes later with said first aid kit and a t-shirt covering her sports bra now.

"I'm going to have to take a look your ankle a bit. I'm sorry, it might hurt, but I need to see how serious the sprain is." Rachel says as she pulls the ice pack away. She then gently probes, prods and pokes this way and that, determining the range of motion and how much swelling is there. "Well, it doesn't look very bad. I'd say it's a mild sprain, so you should be ok with lots of rest and more icing. I'll just wrap it to give it support, and the proper kind of pressure to keep the swelling down, and aid in pain management." Rachel says as she opens the first aid kit and grabs a roll of tensor bandage. She then quickly wraps the ankle, and gets up on her feet, offering her hand to Fleur. "Here, let me help you up, I need you to put some weight down because if it's too painful, then I'll drive you to the hospital and have my dad check on it. The last thing I want is for you to be in pain." Rachel adds as an afterthought.

Fleur takes Rachel's hand, where she is slowly pulled up to a standing position, putting all her weight on her right foot. She gingerly sets her left foot down, and when there isn't any shooting pain, she slowly transfers more of her weight on it, and is pleasantly surprised to find it can fully support her. She takes a couple of steps, and is glad to notice she can walk with almost no hint of a limp.

"Perfect. I felt almost not pain, and I can walk almost normal." Fleur says happy.

"Just don't abuse it. You need to keep off it as much as possible, and ice it again at least once this afternoon and maybe just before you go to bed tonight." Rachel says, smiling at the way Fleur was almost bouncing because her foot wasn't hurting.

"I will do my best. The icing part might be a little difficult, since I still don't have a refrigerator." Fleur says quickly, smirking a bit.

"You don't have any furniture or appliances yet?" Rachel asks surprised.

"No, I don't. I was only here once, and it was to get my work visa and my contract sorted out. I only had enough time to get my bed. I was planning on buying the rest of my furniture, and perhaps a car so I can return the rental." Fleur explains, a bit surprised at how forthcoming she was with information.

"I, uh, don't mean to be so forward, but, er, do you live alone?" Rachel asks shyly, looking at the floor.

"Yes, my family and friends are either in France or England." Fleur says softly, sadness evident in her voice.

"Well, I can't have you injure yourself further, so I will gladly take you where you need to, this way I can make sure you get what you need and not overdo it." Rachel offers, blushing madly at her spur of the moment offer.

"I can't allow you to spend your vacation running after me in such a way, I really appreciate the offer though." Fleur says sincerely.

"Please? It would make me feel better about causing that injury in the first place." Rachel says quickly with a slight pout, wanting to spend more time with the platinum blonde with the icy blue eyes.

"I will accept your offer, but at least let me take you to breakfast." Fleur says, unable to resist the pleading, and in truth, enjoying the company of the brunette.

"Deal. Let me go take a quick shower and change. Just make yourself at home. You can watch TV or something. I should be down in about 20." Rachel says practically sprinting up the stairs, not giving Fleur the chance to change her mind.

TBC


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: **sorry for the delay, work was a bit hectic, and the muse inspired when I couldn't write a thing down... enjoy.

Chapter 3

Twenty minutes later, Rachel walks back in the living room, wearing a simple black and white sundress. "Hey, sorry it took so long. Ready to go?" Rachel asks, offering her hand to Fleur.

"Yes, I am, and it wasn't long at all" Fleur answers, flipping the TV off and reaching for Rachel's hand.

"So, uhm, I have a really small car, so, if you need to get a lot of stuff, I might have to borrow my Daddy's car. What, uh, did you have in mind for breakfast?" Rachel asks shyly.

"Well, unless you know of a place that will deliver a fridge on the same day, I think your small car should be fine. As for breakfast, I was hoping you could suggest something, since you know this town better than I. My original idea was going to the local Starbucks for a Chai latte, and perhaps a bagel." Fleur says smiling widely.

"That actually sounds like a great idea. Let's go." Rachel says, smiling herself.

"We need to stop by my house really quick first. I need to grab my purse, and make sure I have all the measurements with me. I don't want to get furniture that won't fit." Fleur asks quickly.

"Of course, and that makes perfect sense. You'd be surprised at how many people would just improvise and then spend hours trying to move everything around." Rachel says as they quickly make their way to Fleur's house.

The day is spent hopping around furniture stores, appliance stores and electronic stores. Rachel is pleasantly surprised at how Fleur asks for her opinion and actually listens to it. She was afraid at first that she was just going to play chauffeur to the enigmatic blonde.

"What do you feel like for lunch, Rachel?" Fleur asks after they exit the local Lowes where she finally found a refrigerator she liked and fit in her kitchen.

"How does Italian sound? I know this little place just outside of town that serves fantastic food." Rachel suggest, still somewhat shy around Fleur.

"Perfect. Lead the way, _Mademoiselle_ Berry." Fleur says with flourish, extending her hand to Rachel, another smile in her face.

Rachel takes the proffered hand giggling. "This way, Miss Delacour. Your chariot awaits." Rachel replies formally, doing a little bow, a huge smile on her face.

By the end of the day, both girls are exhausted, but happy to have made a new friend. With Rachel along, Fleur manages to arrange next day delivery for all her appliances, and her new car ready for pick up in a couple of days.

"You have to come to my place for dinner. I know that you're going to end up doing take out again, this way you get to meet my dads. I also can make sure you will ice your foot because you really abused it with all the walking we did. I noticed how you have been limping a little bit more. Besides, I already texted my dads and they know you're coming." Rachel says as they pull out of the local Volkswagen dealership.

"I'd love that. Thank you Rachel. I was dreading another night of take out." Fleur answers honestly.

"Dad, Daddy! I'm home." Rachel calls out as they both walk in the house. "Here Fleur, go and sit while I go and grab the ice pack." Rachel guides the part Veela into the living room once again.

"Hi Pumpkin, how was your day?" Michael asks his daughter as he is adding the finishing touches to their dinner.

"It was very eventful. I'll fill you in during dinner." Rachel answers as she grabs the ice pack from the freezer.

"Hey Rach. What's with the ice pack? Did you hurt yourself during your morning run?" Daniel asks as he steps into the kitchen to help his husband.

"Not me, it's Fleur, our dinner guest. I sort of ran into her this morning and when she fell, she sprained her ankle. I'm just making sure it doesn't swell too bad because she spent the day shopping. Long story, but you'll get details during dinner." Rachel says as she grabs another clean tea towel and heads back out.

"I better go and make sure everything is ok." Daniel says with a smile, following his daughter.

"Hey. Sorry it took so long. Here, put your foot on the cushion again, we need to keep your ankle elevated." Rachel says as she guides Fleur's foot to rest on the cushion she has on her lap. She gently removes the tensor bandage and as gentle as she can, she prods the ankle a bit, not liking the fact that it's a bit more swollen than what it was earlier in the morning. She notices she slight whimper of pain as she applies a gentle massage to improve circulation. "I'm sorry. I know it hurts, but we need to get the blood flowing again." Rachel apologises softly.

"It's ok, I understand." Fleur says grimacing just a little as Rachel continues with the massage.

Daniel looks on by the kitchen entrance, surprised by the gentleness of Rachel's ministrations on a complete stranger, and he wonders if his daughter would ever consider career in medicine, or if the lights of Broadway have captured her heart permanently. Rachel eventually finishes the massage and then softly places the towel wrapped ice pack on Fleur's ankle, supporting it in place with her hands.

"Dad, come to see if I'm doing a good job?" Rachel asks playfully. "Dad, this is Fleur Delacour, she just moved from France. Fleur, this is my dad Daniel Berry." Rachel says introducing them.

"Please don't get up Fleur. It's a pleasure to meet you." Daniel says offering her his right hand once he notices that Fleur is making an attempt to pull her foot down and get up, while Rachel is still firmly holding on to said foot.

"The pleasure is all mine. Thank you so much for your hospitality." Fleur says shaking Daniel's hand firmly.

"Good evening, I'm Michael Berry, Rachel's other father, and Daniel's husband." Michael introduces himself with a smile.

"Fleur Delacour. It's a pleasure to meet you, sir." Fleur answers offering her hand.

"The pleasure is all mine, and it's Michael and Daniel." Michael replies shaking her hand with a smile. "Dinner will be ready in about five minutes." Michael informs them before quickly disappearing into the kitchen again.

"Perfect. I'm going to help Michael while you two finish here." Daniel says.

"How is your foot?" Rachel asks quietly.

"Thanks to you, a lot better." Fleur answers, blue eyes locked on to chocolate brown.

"Why didn't you say anything if your foot was hurting you?" Rachel asks, unable to pull her eyes away.

"It wasn't that bad, really. I have had worse injuries." Fleur says sadly, trying to push bad memories away.

"Dinner is ready girls." Daniel says, breaking the moment.

"Thanks Dad." Rachel calls back. "I uh should bandage your foot again." Rachel says quietly, reaching for the tensor bandage again.

They make it to the dining room and just when they sit down, Fleur's phone rings. "Please excuse me. I don't mean to be rude, but it is my family calling." Fleur apologises as she fishes out her phone, connecting the call.

"_Bon soir, mama. I can't talk for long."_ Fleur says into the phone.

"_Fleur, daughter, it's late here. We haven't heard from you all day so we got worried."_ Apoline says with a sigh.

"_Yes, I know it's late where you are, but I am having dinner with some neighbours and it would be rude to talk for long sitting at the table."_ Fleur answers quickly.

"_Why don't you just excuse yourself so you can speak to your family?"_ Apoline asks, wondering why her eldest hasn't done so already.

"_I'd love to do that, but I uh sprained my ankle earlier, and…"_ But before she can continue, she is interrupted.

"_Are you all right, dear? Why haven't you used magic to mend it?" _Apoline asks her daughter, clearly worried now.

"_Mama, could we please speak another time? I don't want to be rude to my new friends. They have been very gracious to me. Send my love to everyone and I will call you tomorrow."_ Fleur says, quickly disconnecting the phone and setting her phone to 'silent' as she puts it away. "Please accept my apologies. Sometimes it is hard for my family to understand that though I may be young, I am still capable to living on my own." Fleur says with a smile.

"No problem at all. You could have talked to them longer if you wished. It must be hard to be so far away from those you love." Daniel says with understanding. They all notice the look of sadness that crosses Fleur's eyes as the word family is mentioned.

"I hope baked chicken with roasted vegetables and wild rice is all right for dinner." Daniel says changing the subject to a safer topic.

"That is more than all right, I really hospitality Mr. Berry." Fleur says sincerely, understanding why her thrall isn't affecting them, and happy she doesn't have to deal with that.

"Please, it's Michael and Daniel, no need to such formalities. So tell me, how did you two meet?" Michael asks, while he serves dinner, curious about the whole story.

"Thank you Michael. I was taking a stroll through the neighbourhood, trying to get myself acquainted with it, and I wasn't really paying a lot of attention, and accidentally collided with Rachel." Fleur says with a smile, remembering the events of the morning.

"I wasn't expecting anyone out so early, so I was a bit distracted by the songs on my iPod because I think they'd be great for Glee once school starts. And yeah, I kinda ran into Fleur and knocked her down, where she sprained her ankle." Rachel says sheepishly.

"Rachel was kind enough to offer me assistance, and insisted on bringing me here, where she promptly took care of my injury." Fleur says without missing a beat.

"I knew that Fleur needed to do a lot of stuff for her house so I volunteered to drive her around to make sure she didn't aggravate her injury, and because she doesn't have a fridge yet, I insisted she come over so she wouldn't have to deal with take out and to ice her foot one more time." Rachel finishes quickly.

The rest of dinner is spent talking about their respective days, what their plans for the next day included (waiting for deliveries for Fleur, nothing on Rachel's end and work for Michael and Daniel).

"I don't mean to be rude, but I should call it a night. I'm still used to a different time, and my body thinks it's about 2 am still." Fleur says with a small yawn.

"Don't, if anything we should apologise for keeping you here so long." Michael says with understanding.

"I'll drive you home." Rachel offers immediately.

"It's ok; it's only a short walk." Fleur starts to protest, but is quickly interrupted.

"I know, but you're injured and I want to make sure you don't overdo it more than you already have." Rachel counters.

"Thank you." Fleur gives in, knowing it's almost useless to argue with Rachel.

"Ah, wise move on your part Fleur, because once Rachel gets her mind set on something, she'll talk you to death until you give in." Daniel says laughing at the look on his daughter's face.

"Dad! Please." Rachel squeaks indignant.

"Sorry pumpkin, I just couldn't resist." He says looking contrite. "It was a pleasure meeting you Fleur. We must do this again, once you have settled in." Daniel offers Fleur a quick hug.

"Of course and the pleasure was all mine. I shall invite you to a home cooked French dinner once I get things settled." Fleur says returning the hug.

"Have a great night, Fleur. Sleep well." Michael says, giving her a quick hug as well.

"Thank you Michael. Good night and thank you for your hospitality." Fleur says sincerely.

"It was our pleasure. After all, it was the least we could do after our Rachel knocked you down the way she did." Michael jokes at his daughter's expense.

"Way to go with easing my guilt, Daddy." Rachel says sticking out her tongue at him.

"Anytime honey." Michael says laughing.

"Come Fleur, before these two put me in therapy or something like that." Rachel says laughing herself.

Fleur smiles and follows Rachel to the car, wondering if she'll ever be able to have that kind of relaxed fun with her family. Once again, Rachel insists on helping Fleur in and out of the car, and she is pleasantly surprised when she sees Rachel following her to her front door.

"I'm sorry about my dads being such jokers during dinner. They usually take longer to warm up to people, so I'm not complaining, just surprised. I just hope you don't think we're a family of weirdos." Rachel says as they reach Fleur's door.

"Don't be, I think it's refreshing to see such a loving family so at ease and able to play around each other like that." Fleur says sincerely, opening the front door. "I would offer to invite you in, but my house is pretty much empty until at least tomorrow." Fleur says smiling shyly, not really wanting the day to end just yet.

"Hey, don't worry about it. I know what it's like to move and having to get furniture and stuff like that. I am so impressed that you are doing this alone. I uh, don't want to be too forward, but please let me at least make sure you make it up the stairs safely." Rachel says embarrassed, wanting to stretch the time with this enigmatic blonde as much as possible.

"Thank you very much Rachel." Fleur says offering her hand, and guiding Rachel in her house first.

"_Good evening Mistress Fleur. Welcome home. How can Trixie help?"_ An house elf asks, appearing from nowhere.

Rachel turns around at the sound of the voice and nearly faints at the sight of her. What looks like a naked Chihuahua with giant bat-like ears wearing a toga just spoke in French. "Fleur, please tell me I'm not hallucinating and that you can see that toga wearing Chihuahua as well?" Rachel says, freaking out.

"_Merde! I am going to kill them. Trixie stay put and do nothing"_ She quickly tells the house elf. "No Rachel, you're not hallucinating. I can explain everything." Fleur says as calmly as she can. "This will take some time, so if it is all right with your fathers, you could stay here and I promise that I will tell you everything." Fleur asks, nearly begging.

Rachel nods, still staring at the house elf. She pinches herself a couple of times just to make sure she isn't dreaming, and when she is sure of it, she pulls her phone out of her pocket and quickly comes up with an excuse why she can't go home and puts the phone away. She knows she should just run away screaming, never to return, but the curiosity is killing her. There just has to be a logical explanation for this, and then she wonders if there is any history of mental illness in her family.

"Come with me please. I don't have any place to sit but my bed. This will take a while, and I'd like for both of us to be as comfortable as possible." Fleur says, slowly guiding Rachel towards the stairs and to her bedroom.

Once again, Rachel nods and follows Fleur. "Will you be ok going up the stairs?" Rachel can't help but ask, still aware that the woman in front of her is injured.

"I shall be all right. I know I am asking a lot, but please trust me." Fleur says, touched by the fact that even though Rachel is shocked, she still remembers she is injured.

TBC


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: **My apologies for the delay. RL was being a bit difficult, and then I was obsessing with another fandom to the point that my muse went on strike and would only give me new plot bunnies. I finally gave in, and next thing I know, inspiration is back and my muse is smiling sweetly my way once again :-) Enjoy the update. Please note that all text in italics is spoken French.

Chapter 4

They quietly make it up the stairs, with Rachel following, in case Fleur stumbles, and into Fleur's bedroom. "Please make yourself comfortable, and sit if you wish." Fleur says as she walks over to her carry on and starts searching through it.

"Thanks." Rachel says as she sits on the corner of the bed, a thousand different questions warring to the forefront of her mind.

"Ah, here it is." Fleur says as she pulls out what looks like the carrying case for a flute.

"Err, you're going to play me a song?" Rachel asks confused, looking at the small carrying case in Fleur's hands.

"What? Oh, this." Fleur looks confused at first, and then has to bite the inside of her cheek to stop giggling. "No, I'm not going to play you any songs. This is something that I will need for my explanation." Fleur adds after she manages to control her giggling, silently wondering if hysterical laughter is a symptom of shock. If Rachel doesn't go away running and screaming, she might ask her.

They both sit in silence for a bit, Fleur struggling to find the right words to explain her world to Rachel, hoping that in the end, they can remain friends. Rachel, for her part, sits as patient as she can, for the first time ever, no words come to mind, and she absentmindedly thinks about how ironic that the one time she can't think of a word to say, there is no one there to witness it.

"There is no easy way for me to say this. All I ask if that you let me say as much as possible without interrupting. I promise that I will answer your questions to the best of my ability." Fleur says breaking the silence. Rachel opens and closes her mouth, but no sounds come out, so in the end, she just nods in agreement. Relief floods through Fleur's slim body and she tries to smile reassuringly at the young brunette sitting in front of her.

Fleur then opens the case where her wand is and pulls it out. "Magic is real." She says without preamble. Without giving Rachel a chance to reply to her statement or to even ask what she is holding, she utters a quick summoning spell and the rest of her luggage floats up the stairs to settle just outside the closet.

Rachel watches with her eyes nearly bulging out and once again pinches herself a couple of times to make sure she isn't dreaming. Maybe she fell down a rabbit hole and didn't notice it, her mind supplies.

"No, Rachel. You're not dreaming. This is real. There is a whole world of magical people that is hidden from non-magical people or muggles, as we call you, that exists independently from yours. We have our own government and a Minister for Magic in each country. The Ministry sets up the rules and regulations that witches and wizards, that's what we call ourselves, must follow; much like your own government. For the most part, both worlds co-exist peacefully alongside each other, but there have been some notable exceptions, big and small.

"Most of the overlaps between our two worlds occur when there is a witch and/or wizard born to a non-magical family. Once they are identified, the school that would be responsible to train them in magic use will contact the family once the child turns eleven years old. In which point, they are given the option of attending the school, or to remain in the muggle world. Most choose to send their children to magical school even if it is just to teach them control of the magic they carry inside. For those that remain in the non-magical world, their magic is bound so as to prevent accidents." Fleur says gently to a nodding Rachel.

"That doesn't explain the furless Chihuahua wearing the toga. Were you from a magical family?" Rachel asks, finally able to string sentences together.

"No, but I will get to that part soon, I hope. And to answer your question, yes, I am. My whole ancestry is magical." Fleur answers honestly. She wonders how Rachel will react when she finds out magical creatures exist and that Fleur herself is not completely human.

Fleur then takes Rachel's hand and squeezes it gently between both of hers. "Are you ok with this so far? Do you need to take a break at all?" Fleur asks gently, knowing how overwhelming all this information must be for the young brunette to take in.

"I'm not really sure how I feel. Just continue please. I have tons of questions, but I will wait until later to ask them." Rachel answers truthfully, taking comfort of Fleur's hands cradling hers.

When Fleur goes to remove her hands from Rachel, she is surprised to find Rachel holding on to one of her hands, so she gently laces their fingers together, surprised that she is enjoying and is actually grateful for the comfort their joined hands provide. She smiles sweetly at Rachel and is rewarded by one of Rachel's smiles.

"Each country has its own magical school, but it's not unheard of that parents send their child to what they deem a better one. We start our formal schooling at age eleven, and it goes for seven years. We are fitted with our wands just before the term starts, which you have already seen, and we learn to control our magic and learn spells that will guide and help us through life. After our seventh year, we choose an area to specialise in, where we will study in a different academy, much like your colleges and universities.

"We have our own currency, and it is a standard currency throughout the wizarding world, less confusing that way when we do business with other countries. We have one bank called Gringotts with branches throughout the wizarding world." Fleur pauses for a moment; the mention of Gringotts brings back painful memories. Before Rachel can say anything, she forces herself to bury those emotions and continue with the story. It isn't time for that part of her tale yet.

"Our currency consists of bronze coins called Knuts. Twenty nine of those make up one silver Sickle, and seventeen of those make up one gold Galleon. To this day I still haven't figured out why they break down our currency in such a strange way, and I used to work for Gringotts. The bank is run by goblins, yes, they are real, but I will get into more detail in a bit.

"To the non-magical world, it would seem as if we have been stuck in the past. We don't have anything that runs on electricity. We still use lamps that have a burning flame in them. In my school and my former home, we alternate between candles and lamps with a magical flame. We dress in robes and yes, the old cliché that we ride brooms is true. Most pureblooded witches and wizards wouldn't know how to use something as simple as a telephone. We communicate via something called the Floo Network. It consists of a series of fireplaces that are linked together. To activate it, you throw a handful of floo powder and wait for the flames to turn green, you say loudly the location of the other fireplace and then stick your head in the fire, and you speak. The flames with the floo powder won't hurt you, if anything, they feel warm and kind of tickle. I would show you, but I refuse to have my fireplace connected to the network." Fleur says with a small smile.

"Why? I mean, it would save you a bundle in long distance charges." Rachel says quickly.

"We can also travel through those fireplaces and I truly do not want to give my family and friends a way to just show up unannounced here. We also travel by something called apparition, but a wizard or witch has to be seventeen before we are allowed to use that form of transformation. Once we turn seventeen, we must go the Ministry of Magic to perform an apparition test, the same way you would perform a test for a driver's license. It's also the quickest way of transportation, but it can also be very dangerous. If not done properly a witch or wizard could splinch themselves." Seeing the look of confusion in Rachel's eyes, Fleur thinks of the best way to explain splinching. "Do you remember seeing magicians perform a trick where they seem to be cutting their assistant in half with a saw while said assistant is inside a box? Well, that is what splinching is, if not done properly, a witch or wizard can have their top portion in location and their bottom portion in another. It's quite painful and a nuisance to fix. That is why the licensing is very strict." Fleur finishes with a grimace, noticing the same reaction on Rachel's features.

"Instead of a postal service, we use owls to deliver letters and parcels. But unlike the postal service, the owls will deliver you a letter regardless of where you are, instead of say to your home or workplace. I have asked my parents to refrain from doing so, but don't be surprised if you suddenly see an increase in owl activity, even during daytime." Fleur can't help but add the last bit, knowing that it will more than likely be the case, seeing as how they just sent her Trixie without so much as a word to her.

"Were you ever going to tell me about all this, I mean, if you didn't have that furless Chihuahua downstairs?" Rachel blurts out the question that has been bothering her since Fleur started her explanation.

Fleur takes a deep breath to calm her nerves, and looks at Rachel's eyes, hoping that the brunette will be able to see the sincerity in her own eyes. "Yes, as a matter of fact, I was debating the best way of doing it. I really like you Rachel. I wanted our friendship to be built on a solid base of mutual honesty and trust. I hope you believe me, but I was thinking of inviting you over for breakfast and then I was hoping you would join me while we waited for my deliveries. I was planning on telling you then. I just needed a way to start the conversation and not have you think that I am a raving lunatic." Fleur finishes with a soft smile.

Rachel can see the honesty and fear of rejection in Fleur's blue gaze. "I believe you. Thank you. I like you as well. I feel horrible that you hurt yourself, but I am glad we ran into each other because it gave me a chance to meet you. I was so hoping you would accept my help; I wanted to spend more time with you." Rachel says looking down, feeling a deep blush cover her features. "How do you know so much about my world? I mean, you said most purebloods like yourself don't know anything about the non-magical world." Rachel asks quickly changing the subject, hoping the colour leaves her cheeks.

Fleur smiles at Rachel, relief pouring over her. "One of the subjects we have available at school is called 'Muggle Studies' where we learn about the non-magical world. Unfortunately, it's not required, but ever since I was a little girl, I have been fascinated by the non-magical world, so I researched and took every level of that subject during my schooling. At home during my summer break, I made it a point to play around with as much non-magical things as possible. I love the ingenuity that invented the mp3 player. I doubt I can survive without music, and compared to my world, there is so much more variety." Fleur says with a huge smile in her face.

"How can the two worlds exist without us knowing about it? I mean, I'm sure I'd notice someone wearing a robe or someone flying in a broom, or someone popping in and out of nowhere." Rachel asks, wanting to know so much more.

"Well, the magical world isn't completely unknown. Remember I mentioned earlier that there are witches and wizards who are born into non-magical families?" Fleur asks and continues when she receives a nod of confirmation from Rachel. "All heads of states know about us, and whenever necessary, he or she will communicate with the Minister for Magic of the country they run." Fleur answers.

"What prevents them from saying something to the rest of us? Especially once they're out of office." Rachel asks truly perplexed.

"It's not practical. Do you remember studying the witch hunts that were performed throughout the world from as early on as the middle ages? If word were to get out, something similar would happen again. That is one of the main reasons the wizarding world is kept secret. Keeping both worlds separate in theory also keeps us from abusing our powers, but in all honesty, with all the technology in your favour, I would wager that we would be the ones at a disadvantage." Fleur replies, glad that Rachel seems to be taking in the information without freaking out too much.

"Then why have our heads of state be in contact with yours then? I mean, wouldn't it make more sense to keep your world completely secret? Why take the risk that a blabbermouth will spill the beans and expose all of you? Worse yet, what's to stop said blabbermouth to start the witch hunts all over again? It would make more sense to not say a thing." Rachel concludes, again, truly perplexed.

"Formal contact between our worlds is fairly recent, and it was born of necessity. During the 1970's a very powerful dark wizard was coming into power. He used to go by the name of Voldemort and he was intent in controlling and destroying all muggles and muggle-born wizards and witches. This happened mostly in England, but as his power grew stronger and he gained more followers, those who did not share his philosophy were either killed or tortured into submission. The Minister for Magic in England first contacted the then Prime Minister and warned him about the situation, and eventually they devised a way to protect those in your world without revealing the existence of ours. Eventually heads of states from other countries did the same. Now that Voldemort has been defeated, there has been rumours that this deal will soon be broken and once again, the wizarding world will exist alongside the muggle world without yours knowing about us." Fleur explains.

"What happened to this Voldemort person?" Rachel asks.

"I promise you I will get into more details with that in the near future. I'm not trying to keep anything from you, but it will take a long time to explain it all. Don't worry, everything I am telling you is connected so you will hear that part as well. Just be warned that it is not a pretty story at all." Fleur says barely above a whisper. The pain she has been trying to escape comes back to her and hits her like a ten ton boulder.

Rachel notices the look of despair on Fleur's near perfect features and feels her heart clench in sympathy. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you sad. You know what? It's late. We have been talking for hours now, well, mostly you, and earlier you mentioned that you are still jetlagged. Why don't we take a break and continue tomorrow." Rachel offers, hoping to give a Fleur a break and to give herself time to digest and absorb what she has heard so far.

"Thank you Rachel. I really appreciate your kindness. I am exhausted. It is very late. We can definitely continue this in the morning after some breakfast." Fleur replies gratefully. "Here, let me get you something you can sleep in." Fleur gets up and walks slowly to the suitcases by her closet, opens them and eventually she finds a pair of ruby red silk shorts and a matching sleeveless top. She then goes through a second suitcase and pulls out a big, fluffy towel. "This should fit you just fine. You can change in the bathroom. Feel free to take a shower if you want. Feel free to use whatever toiletries I have. Unfortunately, I don't have a spare toothbrush, but I can fix that really quick." Fleur says and then she quickly transfigures a lipstick into a toothbrush and hands it to Rachel.

Rachel for her part accepts the proffered items with only slight surprised after seeing Fleur change the lipstick into a toothbrush for her. "Thank you Fleur." She heads to the master bathroom where she quickly goes through her night time routine. She then walks out and once again, she finds Fleur standing by the huge windows, looking outside. "Err, do you care which side I uh, take?" Rachel asks, bringing Fleur out of her musings.

"_Non, chere._ Any side you wish to use is fine." Fleur replies with a soft smile.

"Thanks." Rachel says from the bathroom door, but makes no effort to move just yet. "Fleur, uh, why don't you sit down and prop your feet up. I uh need to take the bandage off your foot so that you can, you know, shower and stuff." Rachel finally says, as she slowly makes her way to the bed, starts to fold her sundress, and sets it down on the floor by the bedside table on the right side of the bed. She then walks to the foot of the bed where Fleur is sitting and silently plops on the floor and places Fleur's injured foot on her lap. She then carefully removes the bandage and very gently massages the injured area. "How does it feel? Does it hurt?" Rachel asks.

Fleur winces a little bit when she feels Rachel's fingers on her foot. "A little, but it's no big deal. It's actually feeling a lot better now. Thank you Rachel. I actually forgot about my foot until I got up to walk to the window." Fleur smiles sheepishly. Once Rachel is finished tending to her foot, she gets up and heads to the master bathroom with her own pyjamas to get ready for bed.

While Fleur is getting ready for bed, Rachel makes her way downstairs to make sure the door is locked, and is at the same time relieved when the strange creature is nowhere to be seen. When Fleur returns to her bedroom, she finds Rachel standing and staring out the same window she had stood at earlier. She walks to Rachel's side and they both look into the neighbourhood, lit only by streetlamps and the solar garden lights.

"I have always wondered why the architect designed this house with such huge windows when all you can see is the rest of the neighbourhood." Rachel says to break the silence between them before it becomes uncomfortable.

"Perhaps he or she enjoys a lot of natural light. I would also imagine that in the winter, just after a snow fall, before anything is disturbed, the sight would be breathtaking." Fleur answers softly. She then grabs Rachel's hand and guides her to the bed. "Come on, _Madmoiselle _Berry, it's getting really late, and we have a very long day ahead of us."

Rachel allows Fleur to lead to the bed, but notices that Fleur is limping a bit more. She feels her gut clench at the sight of the blonde in pain. "I should have insisted we took more rests while we were out earlier. It looks like you aggravated your injury even more. Do you want a pain killer? I think I have some Advil in my purse." Rachel says they both settle on the bed.

"I am fine. Don't worry. I really have had worse injuries. A little bit of rest and I shall be all right." Fleur says, warmed by Rachel's concern, even after the partial revelation from earlier.

"I have an idea. Be right back." Rachel says and then she disappears into the master bathroom.

She promptly returns with a damp washcloth in hand. "I ran it under cold water for a bit, it's not as cold as an ice compress, but it should work like a cold compress for a fever." Rachel explains as she draws Fleur's foot to her lap once again and covers it with the washcloth. She repeats it a few times and then gives her a quick massage. "Hope that feels better." Rachel says shyly as she settles beside Fleur once again.

"_Merci,_ Rachel. It is better." Fleur says through a yawn.

"I didn't mean to keep you up so late. Sweet dreams Fleur." Rachel says barely above a whisper.

"_Good night and sweet dreams as well,_ Rachel." Fleur mumbles before falling asleep.

Rachel lies on her side, staring out the huge windows, trying to absorb everything she just heard from the blonde. She should be scared, but she isn't. She should be questioning her sanity, which she is, but not because of the revelations, but because she has this urge to trust and be with the blonde lying beside her, deep in the arms of Morpheus. Eventually she drifts off to sleep as she makes the decision of following her instincts and hope for the best. She hasn't had a connection with anyone like this before and she enjoys having a friend that no one else knows.

TBC...


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: **Here is the next installment. A bit long... keep in mind that I tweaked the information in HP lore to suit the purposes of this story. Enjoy.

Chapter 5

Strangely enough, both girls sleep until around 7 am, when the sunlight filtering through the window finally rouses them from their sleep. Rachel is surprised because even without an alarm, her body is so used to waking by 6 am. She guesses that she must have been more tired than she realised. Fleur for her part is amazed the slept until 7 am because her body is still adjusting itself to the six hour difference between Ohio and France. She is also extremely grateful to whatever deity that had allowed her yet another night of nightmare free sleep.

"Good morning Rachel. Did you sleep all right?" She greets the young brunette softly when she feels movement beside her.

"Good morning Fleur. I slept fine, thank you. How about you? How is your foot?" Rachel asks with a small smile.

"I sleep surprisingly well, much later than I expected. My foot feels all right, better I suppose, but perhaps a little bit stiffer than usual." Fleur answers back, deciding not to mention her often regular nightmares just yet. No need to bring up such issues yet. There will definitely be time for that in the future.

"I'll be right back. I'm going to get the washcloth again." Rachel says after she stretches quickly and hops out of bed and back into the master bathroom.

She quickly takes care of her morning routine and then returns with the washcloth once again. She then gently wraps Fleur's ankle with it and can't help but smile at the surprise in the blonde's face.

"I thought we needed to keep my injury cold?" Fleur asks after a moment.

"Yes, but because your foot is stiff, the heat will improve circulation and loosen any tightness in the area. I also noticed that the swelling is down, so the cold treatment should now be used to help dull the pain, while we alternate heat treatment to aid circulation and recovery." Rachel explains as she gently massages the ankle wrapped in the cooling washcloth.

"Thank you. I believe I have some things for you to change into until we can make it to your house and you can change properly." Fleur says already planning out the day.

"If you don't mind, that would be great. I figure then I can quickly shower and change while I get the ice pack for your foot. Then we can go and head for breakfast and come back here and wait for your deliveries, and, uh, maybe if you are up to it, we can continue our conversation from last night?" Rachel hesitantly asks, still curious about Fleur's world. For the first time in ages, Rachel doesn't feel bad about missing her morning cardio workout.

"Of course Rachel. I haven't forgotten we still have a conversation pending." Fleur smiles softly at Rachel's gentle blush.

"I, uh won't wrap your foot until after we get back to my place and ice it." Rachel says quickly.

"Whatever you think is best. You are the doctor, after all. I shall do as you say." Fleur says with a teasing smile. She should be in a near panic because of the way Rachel found out about her secret, because she still needs to tell Rachel about her true heritage, but for some reason, this gentle teasing comes so naturally she can't help but go with the feeling. It has been so long since she had felt this carefree.

Rachel can't help but blush yet again at the teasing. "Uh, how is your foot now?" she asks eventually.

Fleur flexes and rotates her ankle and is quite surprised that she barely feels any pain and that the stiffness from earlier is all but gone. "Great. Thank you Rachel. I will go get you something to change into while I go and get ready myself." Fleur says, as she slowly gets up from her bed, again, surprised at how well her foot feels, without any use of magic or potions.

"Ok. I know your foot feels better, but don't abuse it. The more you rest it, the faster it will heal." Rachel says finally, unsure of what else to say and not wanting the room to be blanketed in silence.

"It should be all right. We will be spending the day waiting for my furniture and appliances to be delivered so I doubt I will be walking around too much." Fleur says as she rummages through her suitcases for a pair of shorts and a t-shirt. "Here you go Rachel. This should fit you just fine, until we head back to your house." Fleur says handing over the items.

"Thank you Fleur." Rachel takes the items and smiles, grateful that they're shorts so their height difference shouldn't make them look funny on her.

Rachel quickly changes and while she waits for Fleur to emerge from the bathroom, she neatly makes the bed and then folds the pyjamas she used and puts them on top of her sundress. This way, she can wash them along with the shorts and t-shirt she is wearing now.

Eventually, Fleur emerges wearing a pair of khaki coloured cargo shorts and a fitted black t-shirt. Comfort being the key since they will spend the day waiting for furniture. Rachel can't help but notice the long, shapely legs as Fleur once again rummages through her luggage in search of a pair of flip flops. A small smirk graces her lips when she thinks of how her mother would react to her wearing such casual clothing.

Rachel silently grabs the folded clothing and stuffs them into her shoulder bag and they both head over the Berry residence. Rachel quickly ushers Fleur to the couch. She then makes a beeline to the freezer to retrieve the ice pack and a clean dish towel and once again wraps them around the Veela's ankle.

"Umm, Dad and Daddy are off to work already, early shifts this week. I should be down in about 15 minutes. If you can take it, leave the ice pack until then and I'll go about wrapping it again for support. Uh, feel free to watch TV while you wait." Rachel says as she makes her way to the stairs to get ready for the day.

"_Merci._ I shall find something to entertain myself once again." Fleur answers softly, reaching for her Blackberry, intent in letting her parents know how displeased she is about the sudden appearance of Trixie. She quickly sends them a couple of text messages because she is sure she will regret what she will say if she actually talks to them. She already knows that her parents' calls will go unanswered until she finishes this conversation with Rachel and she manages to cool off.

About ten minutes later Rachel strolls down the stairs wearing a pair of cut off denim shorts, a white fitted tank under a blue man's button down shirt and a pair of white Keds.

"I, uh, was thinking about breakfast here since we need to be back at your place by nine to wait for the delivery people. That and here we can have a bit more privacy and not have to worry about curious ears." Rachel says as she sits down on the coffee table to start wrapping Fleur's ankle with the tensor bandage.

"Then maybe after all your items get delivered, we can pick up a neoprene brace for support, that way the heat generated by it should keep your foot from getting too stuff and we just have to worry about icing it." Rachel says as she gently wraps the foot in question.

"_Merci._ If you ever decide that a musical career is not for you, I would certainly suggest a career in medicine. Your bedside manner is fantastic." Fleur says honestly. She normally hates people fussing over her, but the way Rachel has been taking care of her ankle is done in a way where she does not feel like an incompetent fool.

"Thanks. I doubt it though. I actually get queasy at the sight of blood." Rachel says as she once again feels the familiar flush of heat wash over her in the form of a blush colouring her features. "There. All done. Come." Rachel says as she offers her hand to Fleur and both girls head to the kitchen.

"Is there anything in particular you want? Any dietary restrictions I need to aware of or any food allergies?" Rachel asks as she scours the content of the fridge.

"_Non_. Whatever you were planning on having is fine. Thank you for asking though. It was very thoughtful. You would be surprised how many people don't bother at all." Fleur replies with yet another smile.

Rachel smiles back and gathers everything she will need for a spinach, mushroom, and feta cheese omelette.

"Do you need help with anything?" Fleur asks as she watches Rachel wash the spinach and mushroom.

"Nope, just make yourself comfortable." Rachel answers as she starts to finely chop the produce in front of her.

"Let's see, where did we leave off last night?" Fleur mumbles to herself.

"I ended with my foot in my mouth, as usual." Rachel answers softly, as she chops away.

"What do you mean?" Fleur asks as she hears Rachel's comment.

"Oh, I'm sorry; here I am doing it again. It's a figure of speech. It means I ended up saying something I wasn't supposed to. It's part of our slang here in America." Rachel says blushing yet again.

Fleur just looks confused because she cannot remember what Rachel might have said the night before, but for now lets the subject drop. Instead, she smiles and chooses where to continue with her tale.

"We talked about muggle-borns yesterday. The flip side is also true. There are children who are born to wizarding families that possess no magic within them. They are called squibs. Usually there is the option for them to stay in the magical community doing odd jobs and such, or they have the option of integrating themselves into this world." Fleur says as she watches Rachel intently.

"What determines if someone is born with or without magic? Is it genetic?" Rachel asks as she breaks 3 eggs in a bowl and starts to whisk them.

"No one truly knows. I imagine genetics would play a big role since most children from wizarding families are magical. Still, it doesn't explain the growing incidence of muggle-born witches and wizards. Actually, it's not a bad research topic. I will have to e-mail a good friend of mine and see if she is interesting in exploring this subject further." Fleur says, thinking of Hermione.

"Our world isn't perfect though. The discrimination to those born a squib is horrible, so most choose to leave the magical world. The ironic thing though is that there is a chance their own children will be born to be witches or wizards, and they have to be part of our world again, if only from the periphery. Sometimes I believe that if we didn't isolate ourselves so much, things wouldn't be so bad, but I also see that in this world prejudice is also something we must deal with." Fleur states sadly.

Rachel just nods as she continues to add a touch of milk and seasonings to the eggs she will use for their omelettes.

"You're probably wondering what this has to do with Trixie, or as you call her, the hairless Chihuahua in the toga." Fleur chuckles at the description, and once again, Rachel nods.

"Remember last night I mentioned that Gringotts is run by goblins?" Fleur asks, and continues when she sees Rachel nod again.

"Just as magic is real, so are magical creatures that your world describes as mythical or figments of an overactive imagination. Fairies, goblins, unicorns, pixies, leprechauns, elves, giants, centaurs, sirens, dragons and a host of other wonderful creatures. Some are sentient beings, like you and me; some are more like highly intelligent animals. Unfortunately, a lot of sentient magical beings are subject to a lot prejudice and discrimination. There are those in the wizarding community that think that humans are superior in every way, and those in power have made laws that make it very hard for some of these beings to be able to co-exist with the rest." Fleur adds sadly with a hint of anger in her voice.

"I guess it's like the discrimination we have when it comes to ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender, political affiliation, and religion to name a few things." Rachel adds, understanding just a little too well.

"Trixie is what we call a house elf. They're a species of elves that are sentient and possess their own magic. They are powerful creatures, but the biggest catch is that they're bound to a family. They are usually servants to rich wizarding families. The house elves will serve a specific family for generations. Each one of their descendants will serve the same family and their descendants. This has been going on for generations. This will sound awful, and for some, it truly is awful. They don't get paid, and they cannot quit. They can only be dismissed when they are given real clothing. That is why Trixie wears a tea towel she has fashioned into a toga, as you call it." Fleur continues with her tale, after acknowledging Rachel's comment with a sad nod of her own.

"Most house elves live to serve and they are happiest doing so. There are some that wish more than anything to be free. A lot of muggle-born witches and wizards see this as a form of slavery, and unfortunately, in some cases it is true. It is a very interesting and lopsided dynamic though. It isn't something as simple as giving a house-elf a piece of clothing and they live happily ever after. I met one while I was still in school that was suffering from depression after being dismissed by her master. I guess like everything else in this world, it isn't as cut and dry as some would like to believe." Fleur finishes.

"Does your family let go of the ones that wish to leave?" Rachel asks softly while she plates the omelettes and grabs the orange juice from the fridge.

"Yes, we will give a piece of clothing to those who do not wish to stay with the Delacour family." Fleur answers, looking sad and a bit nervous. She knows she will have to tell Rachel about her Veela heritage if she so much as wishes and/or hopes for them to become friends.

Fleur is so distracted by her thoughts, and the possibilities of what might happen, that she does not realise that breakfast is ready and Rachel is now sitting beside her, a plate of food in front of each one, and a glass of orange juice.

"Fleur?" Rachel calls out softly, and when she sees the blonde jump slightly she smiles and at the acknowledging nod she continues. "Go ahead and eat before the food gets cold. I hope this is ok. "I uh, didn't know if you like coffee, and we don't have any Chai tea here, so I hope orange juice is ok. The only teas we have are herbal and caffeine free." Rachel finishes, grabbing her own fork to begin eating.

"Everything looks great, and orange juice is just perfect." Fleur says sincerely.

They eat in relative silence, Rachel talking about her dreams of becoming a Broadway star, somehow sensing that while they eat, a light topic of conversation is best. When they're done eating, Rachel puts the dishes in the dishwasher and they make it back to Fleur's house to wait for the deliveries.

"Thank you for breakfast. It was really good." Fleur says during the quick drive to her place. Rachel still refuses to have Fleur walk and injure herself even more.

"You're welcome. I, uh, do most of the cooking at home because my dads are always busy and Quinn, my best friend and roommate cannot cook unless she has a recipe and even then, it takes her a lifetime to make one meal. We'd all grow old just waiting, so if I want to eat anytime this decade it's just easier for me to cook our meals." Rachel says smiling fondly.

"I still say we could have walked back, but thank you for your concern. I guess now we just sit and wait for the delivery people to show up. I hope sitting on the stairs or the floor is acceptable." Fleur says as they enter her house.

"The floor is fine, don't worry about it. I normally hate the pollution cars create, but I will not have you aggravating your injury if I can prevent it." Rachel says shyly.

"I also appreciate the break from our conversation during breakfast." Fleur says with a smile.

Rachel, as it seems to be normal around Fleur, blushes at those words, making Fleur laugh. Rachel just thinks that she has a beautiful laugh and should do so more often. She can think of at least a dozen clichés as she listens to that laugh, and of course blushes a deeper shade of red.

"Shall we continue?" Fleur asks as she settles on the bottom two steps of the staircase and places her Blackberry beside her. "Don't worry; I don't plan on answering unless it's from one of the stores I bought furniture from." She says in response to Rachel's furrowing of her brow.

Rachel sits cross-legged facing her and nods.

"The number of magical creatures is too big for me to list and describe them all. Once I am speaking to my family again, I shall ask them to send me my old school text books." Fleur adds as an afterthought.

"Are you out of sorts with your parents?" Rachel asks, immediately clamping her hand over her mouth. "I'm sorry. That was very nosy and insensitive of me." Rachel replies after a few seconds.

"I came here on my own, intent on giving up magic for the most part. That is why I settled here, no where near a magical town, with a very low crime rate. I imagine that my parents panicked once I shared with them the news of my injury and probably sent Trixie over to help me. You walking in on her was not how I was planning on you finding out about my world. As I mentioned before, I was planning on telling you today or perhaps in the coming days, but I am digressing. I am a bit angry because once again, my parents disregarded my wishes and did as they pleased. They need to learn to respect my decisions and choices." Fleur says softly, managing to control some of her anger, mainly because she cannot bring herself to take it out on the brunette who has done so much for her. Silently she hopes again that things will continue to progress in a positive way between them.

"There are as many sentient as there are non-sentient creatures." Fleur says, picking up the story once again.

"When you mean sentient, you mean intelligent and with a soul, capable of reasoning and feeling emotions?" Rachel asks for clarification.

"Yes, imagine as you will, encountering an alien species from another planet. They would be just as intelligent as you are, but probably look different, depending on how evolution would have happened in his or her home planet. Only with sentient magical beings we're not talking beings from another planet, although if you saw some of them, you would think they were from another planet." Fleur says, feeling her nervousness increase.

"Goblins, house-elves, fairies, leprechauns are sentient creatures that aren't humanoid or lack human features, but are quite intelligent and have a soul. There are sentient beings who have humanoid features, such as giants, sirens, centaurs. Some like giants have no magic at all, but are just big and strong. There are trolls, who are strong and have feelings, but are about as intelligent as a sack of rocks. There are beings such as centaurs who do not perform magic, but are known to be able to read the stars and get insight on things yet to come." Fleur says, getting a bit more nervous and restless. She shakes her head slightly, trying to gather some courage and calm down. She was the champion for _Académie de Magie Beauxbâtons, _and she fought alongside Harry Potter to defeat one of the darkest wizards in history. She can do this. Taking a deep breath she continues before Rachel can interrupt.

"There are sentient beings called veelas, who look for the most part like very beautiful men and women, but once angered, they turn into a more mythical looking being. Pure veelas will show a beautiful set of golden wings and their features will resemble those of a bird, with talon like legs and hands. Part veelas, depending on how much veela blood they carry might just show increase physical strength, to having their fingers elongate and having sharp claws to even showing partial wings. Veelas also have a strange effect on members of the opposite gender. They possess something that is mostly referred to as their thrall, and it draws members of the opposite gender to them in a hypnotic way. Pure veelas have the strongest thrall of course, and part veelas have it as well, but fortunately, or unfortunately, depending on who you ask, have a weakened or diluted version of the thrall." Fleur says, pausing to catch her breath, and readying herself for the questions she is sure will come.

"You mentioned pure and part veelas. You mean there are veelas who have mated with other species?" Rachel asks.

"Yes. Most will mate within themselves, but there are some who will mate with other magical beings. Some like my grandmother, married a human wizard." Fleur admits quietly, waiting for the look of disgust and rejection.

Rachel does a double take at the last sentence from Fleur. "You're part veela?" She asks surprised.

"Yes, I am. My grandmother is a pure veela who fell in love and married a wizard. My mother was born a half-veela and also happened to fall in love with a wizard and she had two daughters, my younger sister Gabrielle, and me. We are both quarter-veelas." She says closing her eyes, waiting for the axe to fall.


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: **My apologies for the delay in updating. RL reared its ugly head, and my muse was feeding me inspiration for other stories I am working on... hope you all enjoy :-)

Chapter 6

Rachel sits there stunned. She never expected Fleur to be anything but one hundred percent human, even with the revelation of magic and strange creatures. Hell, she has even seen and heard one such creature speak. Once again, she thinks she should run away kicking and screaming. Instead, her curiosity is piqued even more and she craves to know even more about this wonderful being currently freaking out in front of her. Besides, she thinks, who the hell is she to judge anyone when she has been judged by others so much already in her short life. Other than the fact that Fleur Isabelle Delacour isn't exactly what meets the eyes when it comes to her ancestry, she is still the same beautiful and amazing woman she knocked down two days ago.

Rachel shakes her head and looks up the steps to see Fleur sitting there slumped, with her eyes closed, panic and what seems like utter sadness evident in her features and at once Rachel finds that unacceptable. She wonders what would prompt a person to leave everything behind and learn to live in a completely different world. She then gets up and kneels in front of Fleur and grabs her hand to gently cradle it in both of hers, surprising the young veela with the sudden contact.

"Fleur? I will probably end up with both feet shoved down so far down my throat they might need to be surgically removed, but, uh, I need you to know that I really don't care that you are of mixed heritage. I mean, I am curious about it, but surprisingly enough, I'm not freaking out as much as I think I should." Rachel says softly, once again blushing (good God, she would have to work on that. She might as well work part time impersonating a boiled lobster should she keep blushing like this).

"You don't care?" Fleur asks once she recovers from the shock at Rachel's non-reaction. Hell, most wizards and witches have had very violent reactions to that bit of news. She was expecting screaming, fainting, disgust, something other than this quiet acceptance. If anything, it just makes Rachel even more intriguing and her desire to get to know this young woman increases.

"I mean, it's kind of shocking and somewhat incredible, but with everything I have seen and heard so far, at least you're not part troll and you possess more than adequate intelligence. I can't even begin to imagine what you would look like as a troll. Come to think of it, aside from cartoon depictions, I don't even know what one looks like." Rachel says, trying to lighten the mood some.

"_Merci_ Rachel. I honestly expected a more violent reaction from you. Why is that? Then again, the fact that you did not faint at the sight of Trixie should have given me a clue." Fleur says smiling for the first time since the revelation. "Which reminds me, Trixie, _come here please._" Fleur calls out softly.

Within seconds, there is a soft pop and the house elf materialises in front of the two girls. Rachel jumps and nearly screams at the sudden appearance of the house elf.

"_What can Trixie do for Mistress Fleur?_" she asks shyly.

"_Go back to France, to the Delacour Estate. I shall be fine on my own. You have done nothing wrong, it's just that I live in a muggle world now and we cannot have obvious signs of magic here._" Fleur says, adding the last part once she notices the dejected look on Trixie's face.

"_Mistress Apoline will not be pleased with Trixie because Trixie has failed her, but I will do as Mistress Fleur asks._" The house elf replies dejected.

"_Please don't be sad and don't worry about anything. I have communicated my wishes to my parents and they know I am very displeased with them for sending you here in the first place. You have done well, Trixie. Now go home and if I ever need your assistance I shall contact you myself._" Fleur says with a sad smile, and with another pop, the house elf disappears.

"What did just happen?" Rachel asks in awe after witnessing the exchange.

"Please accept my apologies for being so rude. Trixie does not understand any English. I just told her that I did not need her help here and sent her back to France. I did not mean to interrupt. Please continue." Fleur answers softly.

"Well, I guess I don't really care because it's not like I haven't dealt with my fair share of stuff just because of who I happen to be. As you know, I have two dads, which of course means that I am the daughter of two gay men. My Daddy also happens to be African-American, and that in itself is a reason for prejudice and judgement from most of the ignorant fools around here. I like you and I refuse to let circumstances beyond our control dictate what I think of you. So far, I find you to be an articulate individual who is beautiful, kind and with a wicked sense of humour. I would like to continue our fledging friendship and see what happens." Rachel says, looking down at the hand still gently cradled in hers. She is convinced that the flush she feels isn't only in her face, but in her whole body and she knows that if she looks at Fleur, she will spontaneously combust due to the intensity of her blush.

"Besides, you might not want to be around me anymore once people treat you funny because you are nice to me." Rachel says just above a whisper, finally releasing the soft hand in hers.

Fleur automatically places her fingers under Rachel's chin and lifts her head so they're looking at each other now. "Rachel, you have shown me kindness beyond words. You did not rescind your offer of friendship once you found out my secret. I shall always treasure our friendship, and like you, I would love to cultivate it further. I truly enjoy your company and I do not care what others here might do or say about it." Fleur says sincerely. Once again, she is amazed by the level of maturity shown by the young brunette.

Rachel smiles brightly at those words, silently thanking whatever deity out there that allowed them to meet in such a unique way. Before she can say anything else though, the door bell rings with the arrival of the first delivery.

The rest of the morning is spent shepherding delivery men in and out of the house. Telling them where to put things so they won't have to re-arrange too much furniture once everything is delivered. Lunch consists of pizza so they don't have to rush back for the afternoon deliveries, which surprisingly enough arrive fairly close to each other. By four p.m., every major piece of furniture is placed in its final resting area, and all major appliances are hooked up and ready to be used.

"I can hardly believe everything is here and ready to be used." Fleur says in amazement. She remembers some of Hermione's horror stories about having to wait for days for some of her furniture in her London flat. She recalls how Ron had complained that they just dropped everything for Ron and Hermione to deal with.

"I think those delivery people couldn't resist the whole 'damsel in distress' bit." Rachel says with a chuckle. "I guess Quinn was correct, there is an upside to living in a small town with chauvinist pigs. Most straight men cannot resist the sight of a pretty face and they stumble upon themselves to show off and appear helpful." She adds humourlessly.

"Believe me, Rachel, that is a universal trait. Not just the mentality of people living in small towns." Fleur adds with a small smile.

"May I ask you something personal?" Rachel asks shyly.

"Of course you may." Fleur answers with a small smile.

"You mentioned something about a thrall, I believe you called it. Did it have anything to do with how some of the delivery people were tripping on their feet to assist you?" Rachel asks with a confused look, wondering also if that is why she is so inclined in helping Fleur.

"I don't think so. As we get older, we get control of the thrall. Mine is fairly weakened, compared to one from a pure veela. Besides, those affected by the veela thrall have this glazed look in their eyes, and they act as if they are in a hypnotic trance." Fleur says, impressed at the question and the lack of malice in Rachel's tone. Most witches treated her like a plague carrier in fear she would steal their mates, as if she would ever sink that low.

Rachel lets out a small breath of relief upon hearing that. She is definitely in full use of her faculties.

"Do you ever get tempted to use your thrall on other people?" Rachel asks hesitantly.

"No. When I was younger and had no control over it, I had boys following me around ready to do my bidding like mindless mannequins. It made having a conversation with anyone of the opposite gender nearly impossible. There are very few men who aren't affected by a veela's thrall." Fleur says with a slight frown at the memory of her teenage years.

Rachel automatically thinks her question upset Fleur. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to imply anything bad with that question. I was just curious." Rachel says anxiously.

"Oh, no. I'm not upset with you or at the question. I was just remembering how annoying it all was. Until I gained some control, all my friends were female. Even then, there weren't many because a lot of them would get jealous their boyfriends would react that way around me. Some girls even accused me of doing that on purpose and did not believe me when I told them that at the time I had no control over it." Fleur says sadly, remembering the incidents.

"It doesn't work on girls?" Rachel asks, truly curious.

"No. It only works on people of the opposite gender. I'm not sure why we even have it, because every veela I know would rather be with someone who isn't affected by their thrall." Fleur says sadly, thinking of what could have been had Bill survived. "I guess in an evolutionary sense, it would help us escape our captors." She adds as she furrows her brows.

"Do you ever get tempted to use magic to take care of everyday chores?" Rachel asks changing the subject once she notices the sadness clouding Fleur's eyes. She opens the fridge to see if it's cold enough.

"I used to, but not anymore. I have seen how lazy some wizards can get and how dependant they become." She says glad at the change of subject. She remembers only too well how most purebloods wouldn't be able to do a thing if someone were to snap their wands. "It is extremely helpful though when I need to move heavy items. I admit that if those men had not insisted in helping us, I would have charmed the furniture and appliances to make them light enough for us to move around and not get hurt." Fleur admits sheepishly.

"I admit that I am extremely curious about magic and the temptation is very strong for me to ask you to show me stuff, and to perhaps do things for me. I need you to promise me that if I ever make you uncomfortable with my questions or requests you will say something to me immediately. I don't want to risk annoying you or have you think that I would use you to make things easier for me. I am human though and I believe that it is in our nature to want things as easy as possible." Rachel says after some thought, knowing it's better to clear things up than to have issues come up because of miscommunication between them.

"Thank you Rachel. I appreciate your honesty, but I really doubt you will ever use me in such a way. I never realised how dependant I had become until I made the conscious effort to stop. Had I not accepted your help when I hurt my foot, I would have probably come home and pulled my wand out to mend my injury. I would not have known what to do otherwise." Fleur admits quietly.

"Oh. Why didn't you just mend it using magic once you told me about your world?" Rachel asks perplexed.

"I know from experience that it is the ease with which my people can mend injuries that have caused some of the arrogant attitude a lot of the purebloods have. I do not think we are superior in any way to muggles and I don't ever want to think that. There is another thing to keep in mind though. Mending injuries isn't something the average wizard or witch can do. Healing spells when they're not done properly can do more damage than good. The ones who have the knowledge are called mediwitches and mediwizards. They have studied the field extensively, much like your doctors." Fleur says, feeling the need to clarify. It would not do to have Rachel believe that all witches and wizards can wave a wand and cure the injured.

"I don't get it. You said you worked for the bank. Did you have two professions?" Rachel asks confused.

"No. I had to learn some basic healing spells because it was a necessity." Fleur says without elaborating, the look of sadness and despair returning to her beautiful features.

Rachel sees the look reappear on the blonde's face and once again feels like a jerk. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you again with my stupid questions and my curiosity." Rachel says softly, silently wishing she could kick herself swiftly in the ass. She speculates that whatever it is that is making Fleur so sad is part of the reason for the one-eighty in the blonde's life.

"Don't be. Curiosity is what made me learn about your world in the first place. I cannot begrudge your quest for information just because some of that information brings back unpleasant memories." Fleur says reaching over and grabbing Rachel's hand in hers, softly stroking the back with her thumb.

"That still doesn't give me the right to upset you." Rachel whispers, as she squeezes the hand that is softly cradling hers.

Rachel's words warm her heart and Fleur cannot help the tears that flood her eyes. Over the years, her family and friends have pushed her to talk about her feelings, regardless of whether or not Fleur has been ready to open up. Yet, this girl she has met only two days ago has shown her kindness and understanding no one else has been able to since Bill. She closes her eyes as the first tear slides down her cheeks, soon to be joined by more.

Upon seeing the tears, Rachel panics and automatically uses her other hand to softly wipe off the tears. "I am so sorry. I really did not mean to make you sad. I promise I will do my best to stop asking stupid questions." Rachel says in rapid fire speed, panic clearly evident in her voice.

"Do not feel upset, _ma petite ange_. These are tears of relief. You are the first person who has shown me such consideration for my feelings in your quest for knowledge and understanding. Not even my family has been able to stop their questions; regardless of how upset they might make me." Fleur says as she puts her free hand on top of the one Rachel has cupping her face so gently.

Rachel removes her hand from Fleur's face, and silently pulls Fleur towards the new couch and gently guides her to sit down. She then releases the blonde's hand and as if she has done this countless of times, she pulls the tall blonde in for what she hopes is a comforting hug. Rachel has no idea what to say to those words. The idea of questioning someone you're supposed to care for when that someone is upset is a foreign concept for Rachel. Unconsciously, Rachel runs a hand through the platinum blonde locks, absently enjoying the feel of the silk like strands running through her fingers.

Fleur is surprised at the comfort she gets from Rachel's embrace. Ever since Bill's death, she can barely stand the hugs from her family and friends. She knows they mean well, but if anything, they just make her feel oppressed and in some rare occasions, uncomfortable at the physical contact. She just clings to Rachel, enjoying the embrace and she silently sends a prayer of thanks to whatever deity is listening. For the first time in years, she feels lighter, like she can finally move on.

When they finally pull apart, both girls are surprised at the empty feeling, but choose to ignore it. "Thank you Rachel. Fleur says softly, smiling once again.

"Well, um, you looked like you needed a hug." Rachel says looking at her feet, once again feeling her cheeks burn. She is sure she is the colour of a ripe tomato again. "I, uh, was thinking that we still have some time to get some more shopping done." Rachel changes the subject, hoping to give Fleur a break from whatever it is that is troubling her.

"You mean, a day of furniture shopping isn't enough for you?" Fleur teases lightly, glad for the subject change. She cannot help but marvel at Rachel's insight and thoughtfulness.

"Well, you might have furniture and working appliances, but a whole lot of good an empty fridge is going to be. I figured if we hit the local Linens N Things first, we can get you some decent kitchenware and dinnerware. I doubt you'd want to rough it and eat with your hands on a permanent basis. Then we can head to the supermarket and at least get you enough groceries to tie you over for a couple of days." Rachel says with a light smile.

"That, _Mademoiselle_ Berry is an excellent idea. Lead the way, though if we are planning on getting that many items, I insist in taking my rental. Your chariot might be fuel efficient, but it does not provide a lot of cargo space. And, to ease your mind, you can once again chauffeur me around." Fleur says with a small curtsy.

Rachel bows playfully before she extends her hand for Fleur to take. They systematically tackle the shopping of the big items, starting with the bulkiest and ending with the most fragile. Everything is loaded safely into the trunk of Fleur's rental and the girls are off to get some groceries. When they return to Fleur's house, they slowly and quietly unload and carry everything inside. They work quickly to put the groceries away, keeping their conversation light.

"Would you like to stay for dinner? It won't be anything fancy, but at least it won't be take out and I'll be the one cooking." Fleur asks, not ready to be alone just yet.

"Sure, but I get to help." Rachel answers happily. "We can start by taking everything out of the boxes and loading the items in the dishwasher. There is no knowing what might be on the seemingly clean surfaces." She adds.

"That would be lovely, and I appreciate all your help." Fleur says sincerely. She looks around a bit nervous, but deep in her heart she knows she has to say what has been in her mind since Rachel accidentally caught sight of Trixie. "I need you to keep everything I have told you about my identity and background to yourself. I know it is a lot to ask, but you cannot say anything to anyone, not even your parents or best friend. If the time ever comes where I feel like I can trust others here, I will say something. Until then, I will forever be grateful of your discretion." Fleur says a bit reluctant.

"Don't worry about a thing. I kind of expected something like that. I wasn't planning on saying a thing. I have learned my lesson. Most importantly, it is not my information to share, nor is it my secret to share." Rachel says softly, remembering the clusterfuck of events that followed her revelation of Quinn's secret.

"Thank you." Fleur says as she gathers a few things to start their dinner. "Are you allergic to anything or is there anything you do no like to eat?" Fleur asks Rachel with a small smile, remembering the same queries from Rachel earlier in the day.

"No food allergies to my knowledge, and everything you picked up at the store I am fine with." Rachel answers with a light chuckle. "What can I help with?" She asks as she grabs two aprons, one for her, and one for Fleur.

"How do grilled halibut, wild rice, and salad sound?" Fleur asks as she starts to gather the ingredients needed.

"Perfect. I'll take care of the salad and rice while you take care of the fish?" Rachel asks as she dons the apron and hands the other one to Fleur.

"_Merci_." Fleur says with a smile.

Both girls work quietly and efficiently. Within a half hour, dinner is ready and served. They decide to eat at the breakfast bar on the other side of the kitchen island since it's just the two of them.

"Mmmm. This is heavenly, Fleur." Rachel says as she takes a bite of her fish.

"_Merci_. Once I get things settled, I will invite you and your dads for dinner. I still owe you a homemade French dinner." Fleur says softly. "What is it Rachel. You can ask me anything, and I will do my best to answer." Fleur says as she watches a host of emotions flicker through Rachel's face.

"How did you know I wanted to ask something?" Rachel asks perplexed.

"I can see it in your body language. You have this look in your face when you want to know something, and you have been fidgeting for a bit." Fleur says with a small chuckle.

"I was kind of wondering what happens when people aren't ready to accept all the knowledge of your world? What happens when they threaten to out you all to the rest of my world. I know some really unscrupulous people would not hesitate to benefit from this knowledge as much as possible." Rachel says softly.

"You'd be surprise at how easily people can deal with things by going into denial once a plausible explanation is provided." Fleur hedges carefully, not sure how Rachel would react to some of the darker side of magic.

"Is it always that easy?" Rachel asks. "I just don't want to see you become a guinea pig because someone else might see something they're not supposed to." Rachel explains.

Fleur sighs softly. "Please don't hold what I am going to tell you against me. I wholeheartedly disagree with those practices." Fleur starts. She silently sends a pleading look Rachel's way once she sees another question start to bubble to the surface, and smiles kindly when Rachel gestures for her to continue.

"We are taught from very early on that we must never perform magic in front of muggles, unless it is a matter of life and death, even then, we have to do so as inconspicuous as possible. There are always cases where muggles accidentally stumble upon us. There are however some purebloods who make it a game to charm items that muggles use on a regular basis because they think it's funny to see their reactions. When we cannot explain the magic use away and when the pranks are bad enough, there are squads in each ministry that will go and perform memory altering charms to protect our world. I truly dislike playing with people's memories when it can all be prevented by being more careful and being less arrogant." Fleur says sadly.

"Would you have done something to my memory had I reacted poorly to your revelations?" Rachel asks, hoping the answer will prove her instincts correct.

"No. I would have quit my job, pack my belongings and leave, without a word of it to anyone. I would have made up some story to my parents and moved to another place to start over." Fleur says softly.

"Thank you." Rachel says relieved.

"What? Not that I am not flattered by it, but how can you just believe me? How can you just trust I won't do anything?" Fleur asks not quite able to believe the words coming out of Rachel's mouth.

"Don't sound so surprised. I know that we have known each other for a total of two days only. I found out about your world by sheer accident and in the span of twenty four hours, you have revealed some major stuff about yourself. Once you pulled out your wand and did your hocus pocus to bring up your suitcases you could have used magic against me, yet you did not. You chose to risk your safety and revealed things I am sure you're not supposed to tell a friend, let alone a complete stranger, even one that has helped you with your shopping. That's why I believe you when you said you were ready to tell me even if I hadn't walked in on the furless Chihuahua. That is why I believe that you would rather uproot yourself again, rather than hurt me in any way, and go against your principles. I really appreciate that you are willing to explore this friendship. I admire the fact that you value honesty and trust, regardless of how difficult it might make things for you." Rachel says with a smile.

"_Merci beaucoup_ Rachel. Your trust will not be misplaced. I appreciate your kindness and your willingness to help, and above all, I appreciate your discretion." Fleur says with a huge smile.

Rachel's breath catches at the sight of that smile. She quietly wonders if the brightness of it alone can light up the entire Eastern Seaboard. She forces those types of thoughts away from her head because she remembers the awkwardness when she had her crush on Mr. Schue. She is definitely not going there again. Rachel closes her eyes and shakes her head a couple of times before she opens them once again to look at her dinner companion.

"No, I'm the one who should be thanking you for placing so much trust in me. I wish I could tell you how and what I am feeling, but I cannot seem to be able to find the proper words to express how much that means to me. For now, I guess thank you will have to be enough." Rachel says softly. "I know so much about you, let me at least return the favour and tell you about myself more in depth." Rachel replies with a smile of her own and proceeds to speak about her life.

TBC


End file.
